


Love Is a Medicine

by TheOfficialKai517



Series: A Story Per Fandom [24]
Category: Animaniacs
Genre: Chapter One is Just a Fluffy Walk in the Park, Gen, My First Work in This Fandom, Sick Character, The Major Character Death Doesn't Happen Until Chapter Two, Yakko & Wakko Are Good Big Brothers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:00:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27945671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheOfficialKai517/pseuds/TheOfficialKai517
Summary: When Dot is sick, Yakko and Wakko do their best to be there for her.
Relationships: Dot Warner & Wakko Warner & Yakko Warner
Series: A Story Per Fandom [24]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1288097
Comments: 23
Kudos: 115





	1. It's Not Easy

**Author's Note:**

> So I started this the night after I watched "Wakko's Wish" for the first time, and I should have waited... I immediately had the idea to make Dot sick in my fic, which was NOT where I wanted to go with my first-ever "Animaniacs" fic. Sorry, folks.
> 
> Set in the reboot universe, with allusions to "Wakko's Wish" and the original. And these three are about four years older than they are as we know them.

A heavy bout of coughing greeted both of the Warner brothers when they returned to the water tower for the night.

Wakko winced a little, frowning. "Those sound like they hurt..."

Yakko just frowned, nodding before going to open the door. Immediately, the two saw their younger sister, nestled up in her bed. The blankets were drawn tightly around her, but she was still shivering rather severely. She was also pale, and her eyes looked sunken.

Yakko crossed the room, going to sit on the edge of her bed. "Not feeling much better, huh, little sis?"

Dot just shook her head, unable to say anything as another round of coughs overtook her.

He frowned, going to gently stroke her hair. "Wakko? Get her a glass of water?"

His younger brother gave a small salute before running off quickly, allowing him to return his full attention to Dot. He moved closer, moving so that he was right next to her, allowing her to curl into him.

Wakko returned a moment later, carrying a cup of water. He sat on Dot's other side, offering his sister the drink. When she had taken it and begun drinking it, he sat back and thought. And then the lightbulb hit.

"I've got it!" he exclaimed excitedly, "I just have to find the brightest star in the sky tonight, and then I'll earn a wish! I can ask for some ha' pennies, and then we can see what's wrong with--"

"Wakko," his older brother said softly, putting his hand on Wakko's shoulder, "we already did that sort of schtick, remember? Almost thirty years ago."

"And didn't people in general stop using ha' pennies _centuries_ ago?" Dot asked before dissolving into a fit of coughs.

Wakko just shrugged. "Eh. It was worth a try."

"Besides, you won't be seeing any stars tonight, little brother," Yakko pointed out, "it's supposed to snow pretty bad..."

Wakko sighed. "I just want to help her."

"I know. We both do. And hey, maybe with any luck, we'll encounter a genie or some non-psychiatrist doctor tomorrow."

... _One could only hope, at least._

"And you're _sure_ you found nothing when you searched everything up?"

Yakko shook his head. "The exact combination of symptoms... It doesn't exist, at least according to the Internet."

"Can we please not talk about this right now?" Dot asked, taking a sip of water, "you two are supposed to be my _distraction_ from all of this!"

The brothers exchanged a glance over the top of her head before nodding.

"Alright, little sister," Wakko said, smiling down at her, "how can we be of service?"

She thought for a second before glancing between the two of them. "Can you... Can you tell me the story?"

* * *

Dot had fallen asleep snuggled into Wakko, snoring softly. Her older brother had let her, holding her protectively.

"You know, we might have to ask Scratchansniff to help us out with this, at least a little," Yakko said softly, looking down at Dot, "at least get us to and from the doctor's..."

Wakko frowned but nodded a little. "Yeah..."

Neither of them felt terribly up to asking for his help, but their sister needed it. Besides, they actually did kind of like Scratchansniff, or at least they trusted him enough to ask him to help them help Dot.

A small cough came from the Warner sister, soon followed by several more, getting louder and worse by the second. She opened her eyes, frowning.

Yakko stood up, deciding that it was his turn to get her a glass of water as Wakko helped her sit up and lean against him. She smiled softly, thanking him just as Yakko re-entered, drink in hand. Grateful, she took it and began to drink before setting it aside.

Yakko resumed his seat next to her, going to place the blanket over her shoulders and then wrapping his arm around her.

They would get to the bottom of this, somehow, and get Dot back to good health. They would do all that they had to in order to get there, but one thing was already set in stone: no matter what happened, the Warners were a team. He and Wakko would never leave Dot's side... At least, they'd try not to. There were a few things, mostly shenanigans, that just needed doing sometimes, and those tended to involve leaving her behind at the moment.

Though it wasn't the same without her. It never was.

Even now, the three of them were together, but it was different. There was a dark cloud hanging over them and dampening their spirits. And that was never fun.

Yakko glanced down at his sister, who was beginning to fall asleep once again as she rested her head on Wakko's shoulder. He smiled a little, going to brush some hair out of her face before kissing her forehead.

She smiled softly, curling up tighter.

"Love you guys," she murmured softly.

"And we love you, little sis."


	2. Candle on the Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A cold and friendless tide has found you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is sad/angsty, at least near the end, so... Beware. I really shouldn't have written this while listening to "Next to Normal" on repeat. LOL
> 
> Anywho, long chapter focused mainly on the brothers and featuring minor Scratchansniff.
> 
> *Yes, Yakko has a comfort album because I said so. And it's MY comfort album, also because I said so. [Here it is!](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLd5_TAE8YKni-zcJC-hKkSZF7G7rIMZHD)
> 
> Please don't hate me for this. It hurt me to write this, and honestly, half of it just came up suddenly and against my will. I did very minor research into this-- VERY minor, mind you-- and I'm not a medical professional, so here. Have a crappy conclusion.

Dr. Otto von Scratchansniff wasn't terribly surprised that someone was knocking at the door. He was, after all, _the_ psychiatrist on the movie lot. In fact, he was the only psychiatrist on the movie lot.

What he _was_ surprised by, though, was _who_ was knocking. Normally, the Warners found some insane way to enter the office, ways that drove him absolutely crazy... And that was always _before_ they started their stupid antics.

"... Hello, Yakko. Wakko. Dot."

"Heya, Scratchy," Yakko responded with a smirk, though his eyes betrayed him.

Scratchansniff frowned. "Is something wrong?"

"... Yeah," Yakko admitted after a moment, "could you drive us somewhere? Please?"

He frowned. "Where? Why?"

"The doctor's," Wakko answered for his older brother, "Dot's sick."

Scratchansniff's frown deepened as he looked at the youngest Warner sibling. Almost as if on cue, she began coughing.

"... The car's out back," he said after a second, "get out there, and give me a moment to let everyone know I'm leaving."

The Warners nodded, and Scratchy handed Yakko the keys. "These are _just_ so you can unlock the car and get it started, okay?"

Normally, Yakko would have nodded before going back on his word and doing something crazy or stupid with the psychiatrist's car. But this was serious... He simply nodded before turning around.

"Come on, sibs. Let's wait for the doc outside."

* * *

Yakko kept anxiously glancing in the rearview mirror, watching his sister and brother... Especially the former. Dot looked fairly peaceful, leaning into Wakko. Her coughing had ceased, just for a short while, and she was actually laughing softly while her older brother showed her some pictures on his phone.

Yakko sighed, looking back at the road ahead of them. It was long, he noticed, and straight.

"How far...?"

"Just five minutes," Scratchansniff answered almost immediately, "that is, if the traffic is in our favor..."

He sighed. Five minutes was too long, in his opinion. While they didn't urgently need to get to the doctor's-- that he knew of-- Yakko was too anxious for this. _Answers._ They needed answers. They needed to be able to help and heal their sister. They needed...

"We're here!"

He looked up, surprised, before quickly unbuckling and getting out. He made sure that Dot got out okay, too, before beginning to lead the way inside.

* * *

The nurse blinked, staring at her clipboard. "Umm... Princess Angelina Contessa Louisa Francesca Banana Fanna Bo Besca III?"

A half-smile formed on Dot's face as she stood. "You can call me Dot."

Her brothers stood, too, but the nurse shook her head. "I'm sorry, boys, but only Miss Warner is allowed to come in back."

"But--" Yakko began, but Dot cut him off.

"I'll be fine," she said softly, going to quickly kiss his cheek and then Wakko's, "trust me. I'm in good hands."

"I know you are, Dot, but... Uhh..."

She laughed softly. "Hey. Don't worry."

Maybe he would have believed her, if it weren't for the fear that he could see deep down in her dark eyes.

* * *

Hours had passed. The doctor had finished examining Dot, coming up inconclusive, and deferred them to the hospital. Once they'd arrived _there,_ Scratchansniff had left to go back to the movie lot-- something he was needed for, evidently, something much more important than the health and well-being of Dot. He'd left his cell phone number and the instruction to call him once everything had been finished so that he could come pick them up. He'd also requested that they add him in as an emergency contact for her. This, of course, left Yakko and Wakko alone, sitting in the waiting room for an indefinite amount of time.

The younger Warner brother had gone through three magazines already, plus several rounds of Candy Crush. At the moment, he was laying back, hat facing forward and covering his face as he got a rather restless nap in.

Yakko, on the other hand, couldn't sleep. He wasn't about to rest, not while his little sister was in back, being tested, poked, prodded... The furthest that he allowed himself to relax was putting in his earbuds and playing his "comfort album." Aside from that, he paced, circling the whole waiting room multiple times over. Each time he passed the registration window, he asked if there were any updates on Dot. Each time, he was given the same answer: "No."

The rest of the time he paced, he had his phone open, trying to see if Google had any matches for her symptoms _this_ time. _Nope._

"Yakko," Wakko's tired voice came through, causing him to pause in his walking, "sit down. You're making me anxious just _watching_ you..."

Yakko sighed but did as asked.

"I know you're worried about her," Wakko said softly, "I am, too,. But we have to trust that she's in good hands right now. Hands that will figure out just what's wrong with her, and exactly how to help..."

"I know... But it's not easy."

"I know it's not," he responded softly, "believe me, I know. But our little sister... She's a fighter."

"She _is_ , yeah. But... But..."

Wakko put his hand on top of his brother's, squeezing gently. "She wouldn't want you to be worried like this. Listening to that really obscure Disney soundtrack, pacing the room like that, checking Google like crazy..."

"I can't help it, okay?" Yakko snapped suddenly before softening a little, "look... As your older brother, I'm supposed to be protecting and taking care of both of you. Making sure you're happy, safe, and healthy... And I've failed. I've utterly failed."

"Health isn't always something you can control, and even then, you've done everything you possibly could... You haven't failed either of us, Yakko."

Yakko had just opened up his mouth to respond when the door opened and a nurse came out.

"Yakko and Wakko Warner?"

They both stood.

"... Yes, ma'am?" Wakko asked politely, sparing his brother from having to talk, "is there an update on our sister?"

She nodded, though her expression was rather grim. "There is, yes. Dot Warner has gone into cardiac arrest."

"I... _What?!"_ Yakko exclaimed, "no. No, no, nonononono..."

He kept repeating the word over and over, retaking his seat. He didn't like this, didn't like any of the implications. Didn't like the idea of having to live without one of his sibs.

This was _real,_ too. Not just something that they could cheat and pester their way out of.

Not this time.

"They're working to bring her back to consciousness before something... Irreversible happens," she continued, "and it's actually helped point them in the direction of what might be wrong."

"What might that be?" Wakko asked, glancing at Yakko-- who was still sitting there in shock, the word "No" leaving his lips over and over again.

The nurse looked at Wakko before looking down at her feet. "... Heart failure. We're fairly certain that, due to her being a cartoon, she _does_ have a heart, but it's extremely weak. It's been getting worse, weaker... Until it just crashed."

"Is... Is there any hope for her?" Yakko asked quietly, his voice just a whisper.

"That's up in the air at the moment," the nurse admitted, "and it depends on multiple things. If we can get her back right now, and then if we can find an organ donor who is willing to help... And, of course, if her body accepts the new heart."

"You blame it on her being a cartoon," he said, "why has it _only_ happened to _her,_ then? Not Slappy, or Runt, or Chicken Boo, or, or... Or _us?"_

The nurse merely shrugged. "I can't say. But I promise that I'll come back out when I have more news..."

"How about me?"

"... What?"

"You heard me," Yakko said softly, "how about I be the donor that she needs?"

"Yakko!" his younger brother exclaimed in disbelief.

"What? It's obvious that my heart is at the very least _decent..._ I'm a cartoon, too, and her brother. I... I think it might be the best bet if we want to keep Dot alive."

"But... But..."

"Are you _sure_ about that, Mr. Warner?" the nurse asked softly, "it's an irreversible process, and if it doesn't work..."

"It will work," Yakko insisted, "and I'm absolutely positive. I know what'll happen to me, okay? But more importantly... I know what'll happen to my little sister. Her health and happiness is _my_ responsibility, and if this all means that she has the chance of surviving, it's what I'm willing to do."

"If that's the case, then we have some forms for you to fill out, and then we can check and see if she's conscious. And then we can proceed with everything."

She left to go get the forms, and Wakko turned to his brother. While he was silent, Yakko knew exactly what was on his mind.

"Look, I know it's not what you want, but..."

Wakko just hugged his brother tightly in response. Yakko bit his lip before hugging him in return.

The nurse came back, beckoning for Yakko to follow her.

"I..." Wakko started before just looking at his older brother, at a loss for words.

"I know," Yakko murmured, squeezing his brother's shoulder, "I'm gonna miss you, too. Take care of her, okay?"

"I will. Always."

Yakko forced a small smile before going to follow the nurse.

* * *

Dot's eyes fluttered open. It took her a few moments to register everything that was around her. A nightstand with a small bouquet of flowers sat next to her, between the bed and the bathroom door. Next to _that_ was a window, letting in the afternoon sunlight. Across the room from her, a wardrobe, a TV, and a chair that held Wakko.

As her eyes adjusted, she studied her older brother. His eyes looked sunken yet also swollen, as if he'd been crying... And stayed up for over twenty-four hours to do so. On the stand next to him was a "Get Better Soon!" balloon, a pink plush narwhal, and an envelope.

"Wakko?"

Wakko looked up from his lap, taking off the headphones-- the ones that Dot was pretty certain belonged to Yakko-- and setting them aside.

"You're awake," he said with a small smile, "that's good."

She frowned. "Is something going on? Normally, you and Yakko would be all over me... Where _is_ Yakko, by the way?"

He stood up, grabbing the narwhal and the envelope. He crossed the room, handing them to her.

"The stuffed animal's from the both of us. And the letter is... It's from Yakko."

He looked close to tears again, and Dot frowned. She took the letter from him, beginning to open it.

"You might want to take the plushie, too," he murmured, handing it over, "I don't know exactly what it says, but... The letter's not going to be an easy read."

She leaned to take it, frowning a little at a sharp pain in her chest.

"Yeah, sorry. You probably shouldn't be moving around too much, let your body heal and get used to your new heart."

"New... Heart?"

"Well, new for _you."_

"Someone... Donated their heart for me?" she asked softly.

"Someone volunteered to do it almost immediately," he murmured softly, looking back at his feet, "so... Yeah."

She frowned before looking back at the letter. As she looked closer, she could see that it was tear-stained, and that several of her older brother's words were a little wobbly, almost like his hand had been shaking the whole time that he had written it. She clutched the narwhal close as she began to read:

_Hey, little sis -  
_ _Heard you got a new heart; that's gotta be getting some excitement pumped through your veins, eh?  
_ _But, all joking aside, I'm hoping you're doing well, and will continue to do well. Try and keep happy and healthy with it, okay?_

She paused suddenly, looking up at Wakko. "It... It was him, wasn't it? Yakko... He's the reason I'm here right now?"

Wakko nodded solemnly, and she clutched the stuffed animal tightly. She wasn't sure what to say or do... And she had to process it all first. Yakko was _gone._ He had gone willingly, for _her._ Because, for some reason, he thought that she deserved to live more than he did.

She was quiet for a moment before looking up at Wakko with watery eyes. "Wakko?"

"Mmm?"

"Could you maybe... Could we cuddle?" she asked softly, "I really need one right about now..."

He didn't need any further instruction, going to sit down next to his sister in the bed and pulling her in close. And then he quietly began to tell her the story, the one that she asked for every night. Dot leaned in, listening intently even through the tears. She piped in quietly with her parts before going completely silent, the weight of it all suddenly crashing in on her.

"He said to tell you that he'd always be there to guide you," Wakko said softly once he had finished.

She choked on a sob. How could he guide her now? Especially when she suddenly felt so _lost?_

"I know, sis... I know."

She hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest. And he merely hugged her in return.


End file.
